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| Raiders RW Brett Leason, left, knocks down Oil Kings D Conner McDonald. |
The
Edmonton Oil Kings are trying to stave off elimination for the first time in
2019 WHL playoffs.
The stakes
are as high as they have ever been this season for both clubs when they meet in
Game 6 of the WHL Eastern Conference Championship series on Sunday at Rogers
Place in Edmonton at 2 p.m. local time.
The Raiders
lead the conference final 3-2. If they win on Sunday, they will advance to the
WHL Championship series for the first time since 1985, when they won the league
crown and advanced on to capture the Memorial Cup.
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| Parker Kelly cranked up his physical game for the Raiders. |
That year,
the Oil King won the league title and moved on to win the Memorial Cup.
In winning
the last two games of the series, the Raiders looked more like the club that
finished first overall in the WHL’s regular season standings posting a
54-10-2-2 record to get rated second in the final CHL Top 10 rankings.
Raiders
head coach Marc Habscheid said his squad still has work to do to lock up the
series, but he believes his players are hitting their stride once again.
“We adjusted a few different things a couple of games ago,”
said Habscheid. “I think the guys’ energy has really been the difference.
“We’re just hounding. I think our speed is back. I think
earlier in the series they (the Oil Kings) really didn’t see our speed, and now
they are seeing it.”
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| Matthew Robertson (#22) wasn’t happy with the play of his Oil Kings. |
While they
dropped a 4-0 decision to the Raiders in Game 5 on Friday in Prince Albert, Oil
Kings head coach Brad Lauer said his team needs to play better, but he will
also remind his players they had moments where they played well on Friday.
“This wasn’t the result we wanted,” said Lauer. “I really
liked our first period.
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| Tensions have increased between the Oil Kings and Raiders. |
The Raiders
set the tone delivering a number of big hits in Friday’s win. Power forward
Parker Kelly made about five to six big hits, and he said he needs to keep up
his physical play.
“Obviously, that is something I need to be doing every game,”
said Kelly. “That kind of helps me get engaged, and I think helps create
chances for my linemates and myself.”
Habscheid
was pleased with the effort Kelly brought in Game 5 and thought it was
unfortunate Kelly missed an open net on a third period scoring chance.
“He was flying around,” said Habscheid. “He just couldn’t
hit the open net that is all on that one.
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| Brett Leason, left, gets set to deke around an Oil Kings defenceman. |
“He really led that physical nature for us. He is tough to
play against, a heart and soul guy. He was real important early on.”
The Oil
Kings were in a state of dismay when came to reflecting on how they played in
dropping Game 5.
“We just need to come out way better than we did,” said
defenceman Matthew Robertson. “It was embarrassing what we did.
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| Dylan Myskiw has been solid in goal for the Oil Kings. |
Oil Kings
offensive defenceman Conner McDonald said his team had too many self-inflicted
wounds on Friday with turnovers and bad breakouts. McDonald said his club will
be looking for redemption at home in Game 6.
“Our backs are up against the wall now,” said McDonald. “Our
true colours are going to come out.
“We have to be ready, and I think we will be.”
Still, the
Raiders will do whatever they can to avoid having to play a winner take all
Game 7 back in Prince Albert. Raiders star right-winger Brett Leason likes his
team’s chance of advancing, if they can duplicate Friday’s effort on Sunday.
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| Ian Scott’s focus has been sharp in goal for the Raiders. |
“This is just a good example of what we can do when
everybody is going. It feels great to get the win and refocus quick. We will
get focused on Sunday.”
The winner
of Eastern Conference final will face the Vancouver Giants in the WHL
Championship series.
On Friday
before 4,886 spectators at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C., the
Giants slipped past the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 in Game 5 of the WHL Western
Conference Championship series. With the win, the Giants took the best-of-seven
set 4-1.
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| Jake Neighbours will try to make more noise for the Oil Kings. |
David
Tendeck stopped 27 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Giants. Bailey
Brkin turned away 29 shots to take the setback in goal for the Chiefs.
The Giants
finished second overall in the WHL’s regular season standings at 48-15-3-2 and
were rated sixth in the final CHL Top 10 rankings. The Chiefs finished eighth
overall with a 40-21-2-5 mark.
Vancouver
last made the WHL final in 2007 falling in a series deciding seventh game to
the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Giants hosted that year’s Memorial Cup tournament
and downed the Tigers in the Memorial Cup title game 3-1.
NOTE – Lauer was fined $1,500 by the WHL office
Saturday for his post-game comments to the media following his team’s 4-0 loss
in Game 5 in Prince Albert.
The bench boss criticized the officials and their
supervisors in his comments.
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| The Raiders hope to celebrate a few goals in Edmonton on Sunday. |
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to stankssports@gmail.com.
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